[joeclark77]

How about picking a company that does something you'd love to be involved in -- building rockets, brewing artisan beer, raising cattle on the western prairie, etc. -- and go become their one-man IT department. I guarantee there's a lot of great small companies out there that need help but can't find it. The work may be a mix of the menial and the interesting, everything from fixing printers to analyzing data in the ERP, but/and you get to be a part of something that makes you want to get out of bed in the morning. Whatever that may be.

[thebiglebrewski]

This is what I do! I love it!

We're a fast-growing startup and I was employee number 3, now of like 15-20 people.

I'm starting to build the team too but those early days where it's just you solving the problems...so much fun.

[scalatohaskell]

That's actually great idea... How would I approach such companies, where do I look for them? Any literature, book, courses on it? Thanks

[toomuchtodo]

Check out Relativity Space in LA. They're a an orbital vehicle startup, and looking for a one man IT guy (DevOps/sysadmin/etc) with a manufacturing bent (heavy emphasis on supporting a vehicle design team and lean manufacturing using automated machining equipment).

[scalatohaskell]

Sounds great, but I'm in Europe :)

[toomuchtodo]

Darn! Was worth a shot.

[eropple]

Sounds kind of interesting, though. I might look them up--feel like making an intro?

[toomuchtodo]

I've reached out to my contact there. If the position is still available I'll setup an intro.

[joeclark77]

Depends on what you want to do! For me, I want to live in a small town in the woods, raise chickens, that sort of thing, so I would pick a region first, then look for interesting businesses there, and simply write and ask if they need someone with technology skills.